Automatic fire-extinguishing system.



S. SPARLING, AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 20, 1909,

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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AUTOMATIC FIRE BXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED ,SEPT. 20, 1909 1,014,185. Patented Jan.9,1912.

2 $HEETS-SHEET 2.

wafirew UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVESTER SPARLING, or EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

'AUTOMATIC FIBE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'SYLvnsTER SPARLING,

a citizen of the United States, residing at extinguishing gas main and a branch gas pipe in position, as upon the ceiling of a compartment or room, and provided with a suitable valve-controlled discharge shown in section; Fig. 2 is a view of a suitable source of fire-extinguishing gas supply and connections to the gas main provided with regulating means hereinafter more fully described, the parts being shown in their positions to supply gas to the main; Fig. 3 is a view of another suitable source of supply for fire-extinguishing gas with connections to the gas main, and a regulating means, and Fig. 4 isa sectional view of the generator of Fig. 3, with parts in position to make gas.

In the drawings the reference letter A representsa gas main or supply-pipe leading to the building'or premises to be protected, and from which branch-pipes a may run to the various rooms or compartments in the usual manner of tire protective systems, these branches usually being supported from the ceiling or roof at by hangers a and being provided at intervals with suitable discharge ducts or heads a, all as now well known and understood in sprinkler systems.

Each duct is normally closed by means automatically opened by heat'or fire; in the preferred embodiment of my invention for this purpose I-provide each head with a dis charge valve which will automatically open said duct when subjected to heat ,and' will automatically close it when the heat cea s.

With such end in View I have shown the ducts provided with mercury-controlled valves B,

' Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 20, 1909.-- Serial 'No. 518,634.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

which .the valve normally closes the passage through its associated head or duct and is provided with an opening In which may be brought into register with the duct to open a passage -thercthrough, the valve being held by an expanding spring bin position to normallyclose the duct and with its stem operated by a bulk of mercury represented at 6 When the mercury expands under the heat of fire inthe room or compartment, the valve is moved to cause its opening to register with the duct to allow the fire-extinguishing gas in the pipe a to enter the room, and when the fire is extinguished and the mercury contracts the spring I) returns the valve to its normal position to close the duct. 1 v

The main it connects with a suitable source of supply of fire-extinguishing gas, and automatic means are provided for regulating thesupply. In the form shown in Fig. 2, the reference letter C represents one or more tubes containing liquid carbon dioxid under pressure and having outlet pipe 0 provided witha suitable cut-ott' valve 0 to control the supply to the main from the tube or tubes. The outlet pipe 0 leads to the main A which for convenience may be provided with an enlarged portion or chamber A and which is provided with means to automatically close or open the valve 0 according to variations in the pressure of the gas in the main, it being understood that the gas in the tubes is under pressure, and that the gas in the main is also normally under a less pressure. Any suitable connection may be employed to automatically open and close the valve 0 in order to supply gas to the main and regulate the pressure of the gas in the main, and in the form shown the main or chamber A is provided with a regulating or controlling device D having a piston barrel or cylinderv d projecting at its open end into the main or chamber and. suitably closed at its outer end as by a cap. The cylinder is fitted with a movable piston or headv d" having a rod d extending through the cap and carrying an expanding spring by the rackteeth (Z on the rod engaging a toothed segment 0 fixed upon the projecting stem of the valve. The spring (P'ls set or regulated to move the piston (,Z inlthe barrel when the pressure-1n the main talls below a predetermined point less than the pressure in the tube and opens the valve 0 to supply.

gas and to maintain a predetermined pressure within, the main or chamber A. I

hen fire occurs in the compartment protected by the heads or ducts shown, the heat expands the mercury in the bulb b sufficiently to move the valve B to position to open a passage through the ductto allow gas to escape into the room as indicated by parts are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to illustrate the operation of the system in supplying gas. When the tire is extinguished the room or compartment cools and the mercury in the bulb contracts allowing the spring I)" to restore the valve to its normal position closing the passage of the gas through the head or. duct, and as the gas continues to pass under pressure from the tube or tubes to the main or chamber A it increases the pressure in the chamber until the pressure overcomes the resistance of the spring i when the pressure causes the piston to move outwardly and close the .valve 0 in the manner above described. Any decrease in pressure. in the main or chamber A automaticallyoperates the valve 0' to open the latter sufiiciently to furnish gas to the open heads and to reestablish the pressure in the main when the heads are closed, the tension of the spring (I being adjusted in accordance with and slightly below the pressure known to exist in the pipes.

In the fOPIH shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the main or chamber A" is connected with the outlet pipe 0 of a suitable generator providing fire-extinguishing gas, the production and supply of the gas being regulated by suitable means such as the regulating or controlling device D and its associated parts. The generator may be of any suitable type and operation, and in the preferred mode of operation a tank E'is provided with a suitable paste of calcium carbonate as indicated at e, a suitable funnel 6 extending to near the-bottom of the tank as shown in .Fig. 4, and. a receptacle F containing sulfuric acid is revolubly mounted in the sides of the generator above the funnel.

The receptacle is mounted in any suitable manner as by journals or trunni ns {and is provided with an outlet or discharge pipe f at or near its top which when the receptacle is turned to the position shown in Fig. -l

discharges acid into the funnel. One trunnion of the receptacle is extended to the outside of the tank and is provided'with a toothed segment c meshing witlrthe rack teeth d of the piston of the associated regulating or controlling device D; With this arrangement the mam A supplies gas to the distributing pipes a in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. the ducts of the pipes being preferably furnished with the same form of discharge-controlling valve shown in Fig. l. The spring (l of the regulating or controlling device D is set to maintain a predetermined'gas pressure suitably produced in the chamber or main A or so that it will maintain the piston (Z' more or less within its barrel until a decrease of pressure occurs in the chamber. Fire in the compartment protected by the associated discharge valves B causes these valves to open in the manner heretofore described thus allowing gas to escape into the room and decreasing the pressure in the chamber or main, whereupon the spring expands as the pressure decreases and through the connections described causes the receptacle F to turn to the position hown in Fig. 4 and sulfuric acid flows out into the funnel c and upon mixing with the calcium carbonate generates a supply of tireextinguishing gas which is forced through the outlet (1 into the chamber or main thus supplying the gas through the outlet valves. \Vhen the fire'is out the valves B close automatically and the gas continues to enter the chamber or main and when its pressure reaches thepredetermined point it pushes the piston cl inwardly and turns the receptacle A to upright position so that no acid escapes through its discharge pipe f, and the generation of gas stops. Decrease of pressure in the chamber or main, as by the opening of one or more of the discharge valves B, allows the spring of the controlling or operating device D to turn the receptacle F so as to mix the chemicals in the tank to generate gas for fire-extinguishing purposes and to reestablish the predeteiy conveniently obtained, as for example in smaller towns or in the country.

The controlling or regulating device D automatically regulates the pressure in the main in both instances and provides for instantly utilizingfor fire-extinguishing purposes the gas from the source of supply and also formaintaining a uniform pressure through the heads until the fire 1s extinguished. lVhen the discharge of the gas at the heads is shut off, the controlling. or

regulating device automatically reestablishes the pressure in the main and resets the system in operative condition. In the embodiment of my invention I use automatically opening and closing discharge valves,

llaving described my invention,Iclaim-:

1. In an autoanatic fire extinguishing system. supply pipe having branches provided with. .PtltlS and containing gas under pres sure, means to open and close said heads by a rise or fall respectively in temperature, a

source of supply of fire-extinguishing gas under pressure connected with said pipe, and a controlling device to start the gas supply when the pressure is decreased by the opening of said heads and to stop the gas supply when the pressure is restored by the closing of said heads and to automatically regulate the pressure in said pipe. I

2. 111 an automatic fire extinguishing system, a supply pipe having branches provided with heads and containing gas under pressure, meansto open and close said heads by a rise or fall respectively in temperature, a source of supply of fire-extinguishing gas under pressure connected with said pipe, and a controlling device to start the gas supply when the pressure is decreased by the opening of'said heads and to stop the gas supply when the pressure is restored by the closing of said heads and to automatically operate by changes of pressure in said pipe.

3. In an automatic fire extinguishing system, a supply pipe having branches provided with heads and containing gas under pressure, means to open and close said heads when exposed to different degrees of heat, a source of supply for fire-extinguishing gas under pressure connected with said pipe, and a spring-actuated controlling device to start the gas supply when the pres-- sure is decreased by the opening of said heads and to stop the gas supply when the pressure is restored by the closing ofsaid heads and to automatically regulate the pressure in said pipe and in which the tension of the spring is adjusted in accordance with the working pressure of the gas in the pipe.

4t. In an automatic fire extinguishing system, a supply pipe having branches provided with heads and containing gas under pressure, means to open and close said heads when exposed to different degrees of heat, a source of supply for fire-extinguishing gas under pressure connected With said pipe, and a controlling-device in said pipe auto matically operated by the pressure in said pipe to open and cut off the supply of gas to the pipe when the heads are opened and closed respectively.

5. In a system for extinguishing fire with gas, a receptacle for storing fire-extinguishing gas under pressure, a gas main for conducting gas from said receptacle to a coinpartment to be protected from fire and containing gas under pressure, a controlling device for automatically re ulating pressure in said main, ducts for distributing the gas, and automatic mechanically controlled valves for opening and closing said ducts.

6. .In a system for extinguishing fire with gas, a receptacle for storing chemicals separated from each other and adapted when mixed to produce fire-extinguishing gas, automatic mechanical means for mingling said chemicals, a gas main for conducting gas from said receptacle to a compartment to be protected from tire and containing gas under pressure, a pressure controlling device for automatically regulating the supply of gas to said main, duets for distributing the gas, and automatic mechanically controlled valves for opening and closing said ducts.

' 7 In a system for extinguishing tire with gas; the combination of a receptacle for storing fire-extinguishing gas-evolving materials separated from each other, mechanical means for mingling said materials, a gas main for conducting gas from said receptacle to a compartment to be protected from fire and containing gas under pressure, ducts for distributing the gas, automatic mechanically ctmtrolled valves or opening and closing said ducts, and a controlling device extending into the main and into the receptacle and having airelemeiit movable in one direction to operate the means to mingle the gas-producing materials when the gas pressure in the main is reduced by the opening of the ducts and movable in the opposite direction to normal position when the pressure in the main is restored by the closing of the ducts. 8. In a system for extinguishing fire with gas; the combination of a receptacle for storing fire-extinguishing gas-evolving materials separated from each other, mechanical means for mingling said materials, a gas main for conducting gas to acompartment to be protected from fire and containing gas under pressure, a pipe connecting said main and receptacle, ducts for distributing the gas, automatic mechanically controlled valves for opening, and, closing said ducts,a cylinder or barrel having its open end extending the main, a piston in the barrel subject to the pressure of the gas in the main,

5 able in the opposite direction to normal position when the pressure in the main is restored by the closing of theducts. I

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two Witnesses.

SYLVESTER SPARLING.

Witnesses:

GEORGE R. HARBAUGH, J. MCROBERTS. 

